AKP Calls for Peaceful Change

AKP Statement

Urgent call for peaceful change!

A call for vigilant action!

The Ang Kapatiran Party aspires for what is best for the common good at this time. The present action taken by certain elements could lead to violence which is not for the common good. The present unrest will not stop unless there is a change in the national executive leadership by way of a democratically mandated special election.

We therefore call for the immediate resignation of the President and the Vice President to allow the constitutional process to proceed as quoted hereunder.

Article 7 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution

"Section 8. In case of death, permanent disability, removal from office, or resignation of the President, the Vice-President shall become the President to serve the unexpired term. In case of death, permanent disability, removal from office, or resignation of both the President and Vice-President, the President of the Senate or, in case of his inability, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, shall then act as President until the President or Vice-President shall have been elected and qualified.

The Congress shall, by law, provide who shall serve as President in case of death, permanent disability, or resignation of the Acting President. He shall serve until the President or the Vice-President shall have been elected and qualified, and be subject to the same restrictions of powers and disqualifications as the Acting President.

Section 9. Whenever there is a vacancy in the Office of the Vice-President during the term for which he was elected, the President shall nominate a Vice-President from among the Members of the Senate and the House of Representatives who shall assume office upon confirmation by a majority vote of all the Members of both Houses of the Congress, voting separately.

Section 10. The Congress shall, at ten o'clock in the morning of the third day after the vacancy in the offices of the President and Vice-President occurs, convene in accordance with its rules without need of a call and within seven days, enact a law calling for a special election to elect a President and a Vice-President to be held not earlier than forty-five days nor later than sixty days from the time of such call. The bill calling such special election shall be deemed certified under paragraph 2, Section 26, Article V1 of this Constitution and shall become law upon its approval on third reading by the Congress. Appropriations for the special election shall be charged against any current appropriations and shall be exempt from the requirements of paragraph 4, Section 25, Article V1 of this Constitution. The convening of the Congress cannot be suspended nor the special election postponed. No special election shall be called if the vacancy occurs within eighteen months before the date of the next presidential election.

We urge everyone to pray and work vigilantly for a peaceful resolution, which will finally lead to a new politics of virtue and politics of duty, which requires transparency, accountability and good governance.

Let us all support the call for resignations and a special election!

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Philippine Politics Rule of Law human rights